1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to night vision goggles and similar devices that utilize light intensifier tubes to provide a visual display of the infrared emissions in a field of view. The present invention relates more specifically to ancillary sensor attachments for night vision equipment that provide range information, radiation detection, motion detection, and heat sensing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Night vision goggles and devices that utilize light intensifier tubes to display visual images of infrared (IR) emissions within a field of view are known in the art. Such devices take the form of monoculars and binoculars and various other devices for displaying a field of view under low visual light conditions. Generally these devices operate by taking low level visual light and amplifying it within a display and/or taking infrared light and representing the same with visual light emissions from a light intensifier tube.
In general, when an individual using a night vision devices focuses on the field of view within the display of the device, it is difficult to gather and discern other information about the environment within which the user is operating. Under circumstances where night vision equipment is used, it is highly desirable to have a better knowledge of the environment, including information such as radiation levels, motion detection, heat detection, and range information.
While the user of a night vision device is focused on the field of view provided by the light intensifier tube, such helpful ancillary information about the environment is difficult to acquire. It would be desirable if a night vision device incorporated additional components that gathered such ancillary information about the environment and presented the information in a meaningful way on one or more displays positioned within the light intensifier tube display field of view presented to the user. It would be helpful if such informational displays did not interfere with the primary field of view presented by the night vision device, and if such displays could be alternately activated or de-activated, depending upon the environment of operation.